Psychiatric Mental Health Board
Certification
How many total questions are there on the PMH-BC exam? Correct answers
150 (125 scored, 25 unscored)
What are the PMH-BC exam requirements? Correct answers RN license
(min 2 years experience)
2,000 hours clinical practice in past 3
years 30 hours CE in past 3 years
10 Test Taking Techniques Correct
answers 1. One min per question
2. Answer every question
3. Have a "guess" answer
4. Identify key words (e.g. age,
diagnosis)
5. Identify priority words (e.g. first,
best)
6. Identify word clues (e.g. physiologic
needs)
7. Identify opposites
8. Identify absolutes (e.g. just, always,
never)
9. Identify duplicate facts
10.Avoid changing answers
What are the patient barriers to the therapeutic relationship? Correct
answers The psychiatric illness
Being resistant to care (paranoia,
cultural) Defense mechanisms
What are the nurse barriers to the therapeutic relationship? Correct answers
Distracted/ preoccupied/ not fully focused on pts. Verbal and nonverbal cues
Countertransference
Asking patients "why" questions
Asking patients more than 1 question at a time
What are the 8 methods to enhance the therapeutic relationship? Correct
answers 1. Maintaining professional boundaries
11.Comfortable eye contact/ empathetic facial expressions
12.Engaging with a patient with gentle, supportive tone of voice
13.Keeping relaxed, open body posture
14.Providing pt with physical comforts
15.Actively listening to what patient is saying
16.Being fully self-aware
17.Using Therapeutic silence to allow pt reflect/regroup
,What practitioners are qualified to make a psychiatric diagnosis? Correct
answers MD DO
NP
PA
What handbook is used to make a psychiatric diagnosis? Correct
answers DSM-5 In what year was the first DSM published? Correct
answers 1952
What are the 5 characteristics of stable mental health? Correct answers 1.
Accurately appraise and interpret reality
2. Love, experience joy, play and laugh
3. Think clearly, make appropriate decisions and problem solve
4. Control one's behavior and cope with one's thoughts
5.Relate to other's, form relationships, experience empathy, and
manage conflict constructively
What are the 5 characteristics of a mental health disorder? Correct answers
1. Impairment of brain functioning caused by neurotransmitter dysfunction,
abnormal brain structure, genetic factors or injury
6.There is evidence showing that severe psychological trauma causes
physical brain injury
7. Dysfunction in cognition, emotion regulation or behavior
8.It is usually associated with distress or disability in important activities,
relationships or occupations
9.The inability to cope with life stressors, including job changes, loss of
a loved one, birth of a child, medical challenges, etc.
What does the AIMS assessment stand for? Correct answers Abnormal
Involuntary Movement Scale
What does the AIMS assessment tool evaluate? Correct answers
Assesses the presence and severity of abnormal extremity, facial and
body movement.
Higher score = worse impairment
What does the BDI assessment stand for? Correct answers Beck
Depression Inventory
What does the BDI assessment tool evaluate? Correct answers Measures the
presence and severity of depression
What BDI score is associated with moderate depression? Correct answers 19-
29
What does the BVC assessment tool stand for? Correct answers Broset
Violence Checklist
,What does the BVC assessment tool evaluate? Correct answers The degree
or risk a patient has of becoming violent.
Higher score = more likely they will become violent
What does the CAGE assessment tool assess for? Correct answers Assess
for drug and/or alcohol substance use disorder
Score of 2 or greater indicates substance use disorder
What does CAGE stand for? Correct answers Cut, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye
Opener Need to cut back, annoyed by criticism, guilty about use, eye
opener in the morning
What does CIWA-AR stand for? Correct answers Clinical Institute
Withdrawal Assessment form for Alcohol, Revised
What does the CIWA-AR assessment tool assess for? Correct answers
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Higher score = more severe withdrawal
What does C-SSRS stand for? Correct answers Columbia- Suicide
Severity Rating Scale
What does C-SSRS evaluate? Correct answers Reliably predicts the level
of risk an individual dying by suicide.
Higher the score, the more the patient is at risk
What does COWS stand for? Correct answers Clinical Opiate Withdrawal
Scales
What scores are considered to indicate severe withdrawal on the COWS
scale? Correct answers Any score 36 + is considered severe withdrawal
Mild 5-12, Moderate 13-24, Moderately Severe 25-36, Severe 36 +
What is the Conners Rating Scale used to assess for? Correct answers
Assesses for the presence and severity of ADHD in children and
adolescents 6-18 years old
What score on the Conners Rating Score indicates a moderate severity level
of issues? Correct answers 60-70
<60 = no issues, 60-70 = moderate issues, 70 + = severe issues
What does the HAM-A Scale stand for? Correct answers Hamilton Anxiety
Score
What does the HAM-A Scale assess? Correct answers Assesses degree of
anxiety, taking both physical and psychological symptoms into
consideration
Scores range 0-56; the higher the score, the worse the impairment
What does the HEEADSSS Scale stand for? Correct answers
Home/Education/Employment/Eating/Activities/Drugs/Suicide/Sexualit
y/Safety
, What does the HEEADSSS Scale evaluate? Correct answers A big picture
look of an adolescent's well-being
What does the MSE stand for? Correct answers Mental Status Exam
What 9 areas of functioning does the MSE assess for? Correct answers 1.
Appearance
2. Behavior
3. Mood
4. Affect
5. Thought process and content
6. Perception
7. Sensorium
8. Judgment
9. Insight
What does a lower score on MSE indicate? Correct answers Worse
impairment (the lower the score, the worse the impairment)
What does the MMSE stand for? Correct answers Mini Mental State Exam
What is the MMSE used to evaluate for? Correct answers Used to evaluate
cognition; usually to evaluate the presence of dementia.
Tests memory recall, executive function and language
What score on the MMSE is associated with normal cognitive
functioning? Correct answers 24 + is considered to show normal
cognitive functioning
Lower the score, the worse the impairment
How often should pain be reassessed for ?
oral medication
IM medication
non-pharmacologic intervention Correct answers oral medication =
reassess within 60 minutes of administration
IM medication = reassess within 30 minutes of administration
Non-pharmacologic intervention = reassess within 30 minutes of
administration
What are the 11 components of the MMSE? Correct answers 1.
Orientation to time (date, month, year, day of week, season)
10.Orientation to place (current location, city, state, country)
11.Immediate recall (give 3 words to remember, ask to repeat later)
12.Attention (count backwards from 100 by 7, spell 'WORLD' backwards)
13.Delayed verbal recall (recall previous 3 words)
14.Naming (show a pencil and paperclip and ask patient to identify
objects by name)
15.Repetition (ask patient to repeat a phrase "No ifs, ands, or buts")
Certification
How many total questions are there on the PMH-BC exam? Correct answers
150 (125 scored, 25 unscored)
What are the PMH-BC exam requirements? Correct answers RN license
(min 2 years experience)
2,000 hours clinical practice in past 3
years 30 hours CE in past 3 years
10 Test Taking Techniques Correct
answers 1. One min per question
2. Answer every question
3. Have a "guess" answer
4. Identify key words (e.g. age,
diagnosis)
5. Identify priority words (e.g. first,
best)
6. Identify word clues (e.g. physiologic
needs)
7. Identify opposites
8. Identify absolutes (e.g. just, always,
never)
9. Identify duplicate facts
10.Avoid changing answers
What are the patient barriers to the therapeutic relationship? Correct
answers The psychiatric illness
Being resistant to care (paranoia,
cultural) Defense mechanisms
What are the nurse barriers to the therapeutic relationship? Correct answers
Distracted/ preoccupied/ not fully focused on pts. Verbal and nonverbal cues
Countertransference
Asking patients "why" questions
Asking patients more than 1 question at a time
What are the 8 methods to enhance the therapeutic relationship? Correct
answers 1. Maintaining professional boundaries
11.Comfortable eye contact/ empathetic facial expressions
12.Engaging with a patient with gentle, supportive tone of voice
13.Keeping relaxed, open body posture
14.Providing pt with physical comforts
15.Actively listening to what patient is saying
16.Being fully self-aware
17.Using Therapeutic silence to allow pt reflect/regroup
,What practitioners are qualified to make a psychiatric diagnosis? Correct
answers MD DO
NP
PA
What handbook is used to make a psychiatric diagnosis? Correct
answers DSM-5 In what year was the first DSM published? Correct
answers 1952
What are the 5 characteristics of stable mental health? Correct answers 1.
Accurately appraise and interpret reality
2. Love, experience joy, play and laugh
3. Think clearly, make appropriate decisions and problem solve
4. Control one's behavior and cope with one's thoughts
5.Relate to other's, form relationships, experience empathy, and
manage conflict constructively
What are the 5 characteristics of a mental health disorder? Correct answers
1. Impairment of brain functioning caused by neurotransmitter dysfunction,
abnormal brain structure, genetic factors or injury
6.There is evidence showing that severe psychological trauma causes
physical brain injury
7. Dysfunction in cognition, emotion regulation or behavior
8.It is usually associated with distress or disability in important activities,
relationships or occupations
9.The inability to cope with life stressors, including job changes, loss of
a loved one, birth of a child, medical challenges, etc.
What does the AIMS assessment stand for? Correct answers Abnormal
Involuntary Movement Scale
What does the AIMS assessment tool evaluate? Correct answers
Assesses the presence and severity of abnormal extremity, facial and
body movement.
Higher score = worse impairment
What does the BDI assessment stand for? Correct answers Beck
Depression Inventory
What does the BDI assessment tool evaluate? Correct answers Measures the
presence and severity of depression
What BDI score is associated with moderate depression? Correct answers 19-
29
What does the BVC assessment tool stand for? Correct answers Broset
Violence Checklist
,What does the BVC assessment tool evaluate? Correct answers The degree
or risk a patient has of becoming violent.
Higher score = more likely they will become violent
What does the CAGE assessment tool assess for? Correct answers Assess
for drug and/or alcohol substance use disorder
Score of 2 or greater indicates substance use disorder
What does CAGE stand for? Correct answers Cut, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye
Opener Need to cut back, annoyed by criticism, guilty about use, eye
opener in the morning
What does CIWA-AR stand for? Correct answers Clinical Institute
Withdrawal Assessment form for Alcohol, Revised
What does the CIWA-AR assessment tool assess for? Correct answers
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Higher score = more severe withdrawal
What does C-SSRS stand for? Correct answers Columbia- Suicide
Severity Rating Scale
What does C-SSRS evaluate? Correct answers Reliably predicts the level
of risk an individual dying by suicide.
Higher the score, the more the patient is at risk
What does COWS stand for? Correct answers Clinical Opiate Withdrawal
Scales
What scores are considered to indicate severe withdrawal on the COWS
scale? Correct answers Any score 36 + is considered severe withdrawal
Mild 5-12, Moderate 13-24, Moderately Severe 25-36, Severe 36 +
What is the Conners Rating Scale used to assess for? Correct answers
Assesses for the presence and severity of ADHD in children and
adolescents 6-18 years old
What score on the Conners Rating Score indicates a moderate severity level
of issues? Correct answers 60-70
<60 = no issues, 60-70 = moderate issues, 70 + = severe issues
What does the HAM-A Scale stand for? Correct answers Hamilton Anxiety
Score
What does the HAM-A Scale assess? Correct answers Assesses degree of
anxiety, taking both physical and psychological symptoms into
consideration
Scores range 0-56; the higher the score, the worse the impairment
What does the HEEADSSS Scale stand for? Correct answers
Home/Education/Employment/Eating/Activities/Drugs/Suicide/Sexualit
y/Safety
, What does the HEEADSSS Scale evaluate? Correct answers A big picture
look of an adolescent's well-being
What does the MSE stand for? Correct answers Mental Status Exam
What 9 areas of functioning does the MSE assess for? Correct answers 1.
Appearance
2. Behavior
3. Mood
4. Affect
5. Thought process and content
6. Perception
7. Sensorium
8. Judgment
9. Insight
What does a lower score on MSE indicate? Correct answers Worse
impairment (the lower the score, the worse the impairment)
What does the MMSE stand for? Correct answers Mini Mental State Exam
What is the MMSE used to evaluate for? Correct answers Used to evaluate
cognition; usually to evaluate the presence of dementia.
Tests memory recall, executive function and language
What score on the MMSE is associated with normal cognitive
functioning? Correct answers 24 + is considered to show normal
cognitive functioning
Lower the score, the worse the impairment
How often should pain be reassessed for ?
oral medication
IM medication
non-pharmacologic intervention Correct answers oral medication =
reassess within 60 minutes of administration
IM medication = reassess within 30 minutes of administration
Non-pharmacologic intervention = reassess within 30 minutes of
administration
What are the 11 components of the MMSE? Correct answers 1.
Orientation to time (date, month, year, day of week, season)
10.Orientation to place (current location, city, state, country)
11.Immediate recall (give 3 words to remember, ask to repeat later)
12.Attention (count backwards from 100 by 7, spell 'WORLD' backwards)
13.Delayed verbal recall (recall previous 3 words)
14.Naming (show a pencil and paperclip and ask patient to identify
objects by name)
15.Repetition (ask patient to repeat a phrase "No ifs, ands, or buts")
